31 Stonegarden Castle / The Getaway, Pt 3

Previously, on Usagi Days: Time is running out. Ruby remains trapped in the Great Hall with the King, as Patty nears the drawbridge. Once it lowers, the chance for Ruby, Sylvie, and Anemone to escape will vanish quickly. Meanwhile, the Usagi remains stowed away in the King's heavily-guarded storeroom …

- 31.1 - Ruby and the King in the Great Hall -

Ruby had never seen so much extravagance in her life.

Marble pillars, golden sconces, velvet drapes. The massive crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The fine, embroidered silk tablecloth. Suits of armor, swords and halberds mounted on the walls. The massive, wall-mounted, jewel-encrusted, gold-framed clock that seemed to be intended as the hall's centerpiece.

All thrown together gaudily with no regard for taste or aesthetics.

Ruby sat at the long, ornate table, across from the King, who was going on about one thing or another.

King, distantly: "(…—a pendulum mechanism, of course. No other kind works these days, under the 'Veil'. The previous owner was an elderly clockwright, whose village I had no choice but to—…)"

She was barely listening. Instead, she watched the clock nervously.

Each swing of the pendulum ticking away the seconds until … what, exactly?

It's not like they could have predicted the exact time of their departure when planning the heist.

All she could do now was keep one ear open and listen for what she knew was coming.

… Assuming Sylvie had managed to pull it off, that is.

But there was no reason to believe she hadn't. The very fact that Patty was so late for dinner was all the evidence Ruby needed to know that Sylvie and Anemone were doing their job properly.

So if everything else had gone to plan, then Ruby's "only" problem now was somehow getting to Sylvie and Anemone in time.

King: "… Wouldn't you agree, Lady Hanasaki?"

Ruby, blinking: "Huh? Oh, yeah. … Sure."

She fiddled with her thumbs. She looked back and forth between the King and the clock.

Ruby: "Say, listen … Where's your bathroom?"

The King stared at her blankly.

"I mean, er … Where be … 'thy privy'?"

- 31.2 - Sylvie and Anemone Need to Get It On -

Patty was nearing the gates. Soon the drawbridge would be lowered.

Anemone: "We can't wait any longer. I say we fire it up now. We take it to the keep, and have faith that Ruby can fight her way to us. Then we snatch her up and bolt."

Sylvie: "Oh yeah, great idea, sure, because the keep entrance isn't heavily guarded at all—… oh, wait. Wait!"

"What?"

"The Great Hall is on the second floor."

"Okay?"

"So? … Seems to me like it's awfully convenient that the provisions shack is next to the stables. Don'tcha think?"

Anemone rubbed her eyes and sighed. "Okay, so that's one more thing we have to do, and we're just standing here, talking. We have to go now. Now! Before the gate lowers!"

Sylvie, already running toward the stables: "Don't have to tell me twice!"

- 31.3 - Ruby Is Escorted by Knights to the Privy -

Ruby walked down the corridor, flanked by guards on either side.

She looked desperately for exits, escape routes. Things she could throw to cause a distraction. Or to block their path if she tried to make a break for it. Anything at all.

A row of windows lined the hallway ahead, overlooking the courtyard. But unless there was a conveniently placed shrub or bush underneath it, she'd likely break both legs if she tried to jump out.

Soon they reached the "privy".

Ruby, opening the door: "Are you guys really going to just stand out here the entire time?"

The guards simply stood at attention, and stared silently ahead. As if that were answer enough.

Ruby stepped into the room, shooting daggers at the guards as she closed the door behind her.

Inside was a closet-sized room with a bench and a hole cut in the middle of the seat.

She peered down into the hole.

Ruby's mind began to work, as she wondered where it lead …

- 31.4 - Sylvie and Anemone Punch It -

Sylvie: "Alright. This oughta be enough."

Anemone, sneezing: "You got a lot of experience breaking two-story falls?"

Sylvie patted the loose pile of hay, as if testing it. "Something like that. What's the matter with you? You allergic or something?"

Anemone, eyes red: "Don't worry about me."

"You need to touch more grass. Build a tolerance."

Anemone, rubbing her eyes: "I said, don't worry about me! … Where's Patty? She should be at the gates by now."

"Yeah, but she still has to pass a speech check."

"… A what?"

They heard a loud clunking echo from the gates. The drawbridge was starting to lower.

Sylvie: "Nothing. Never mind. She passed."

"We gotta punch it. Like, now."

"Not yet. Wait until the gate is almost down. That's when we go. Give us as much time as possible before it goes back up again."

The duo climbed into the Mk II, and waited.

When the gate was nearly down, Anemone exhaled sharply.

Sylvie: "Alright. Punch it, baby girl."

Anemone was all too eager to oblige.

- 31.5 - Ruby Returns to Great Hall -

Ruby moved away from the hole in the bench, and shook her head to dispel whatever insane notions she had been entertaining. She stepped out of the privy, muttering to herself: "(Nope. No way. … Not in a million years.)"

The guards, who had been waiting outside, began escorting her back to the main hall.

Ruby had no idea what she was going to do. It was only a matter of time before the King realized Patty wasn't just late—she was long gone. And if Ruby was still around when that happened … Well. Better to do everything in her power to avoid that grim scenario.

Ruby marched slowly now down the corridor, her unwanted entourage in tow. Halfway down the hallway, she looked out a window into the courtyard.

And that was when she heard it.

In fact, they all heard it—the startled guards, who jerked their heads toward the direction the strange noise came from; and of course, the King, who bellowed out, all the way from the Great Hall:

"GUARDS TO THE USAGI'S STOREROOM! MAKE HASTE!

"AND FETCH ME RUBY HANASAKI!

"… and, most of all … WHERE IS MINE BRIDE!?"

From the window, the "Mk II" was coming into view now.

Ruby watched as it tore through the courtyard, kicking up dirt in its wake.

Patty's black convertible '91 Matsumi Hayate.

The top was off. Anemone was driving, while Sylvie rode in the passenger seat. They were headed right for the keep.

For Ruby.